Canvas stretching is the process of making canvases fit for painting. It is not that difficult to manage and you can do it by yourself, if you have the perfect tools and proper guidance, which is easily available on internet. There are also stretching professionals available, who can do it for you for some price consideration. The tools involved in the canvas stretching process are the stretcher frame, rubber hammer, cross braces, canvas pliers, staple gun and gesso. You can also purchase the canvas stretching tool kit. These are available in the stores as well as online. When buying the stretcher frame, you will be having various alternatives as to the types of wood used to make the stretcher bar. The prices of the tool kits or individual tools are pretty reasonable; the stretcher frame and the canvas fabric cost depend upon the size you want. With the help of canvas stretching, you get a firm base to paint on. The surface used for the painting is wrinkle free and flat.
The first step towards the canvas stretching process would be slotting together the stretcher fame. Here, you can use the rubber hammer to be sure that the corners fit tightly. In the second step you need to cut the canvas large enough to cover wholly the entire stretching frame. Now, the third step, this is one of the most important steps and you need to be very scrupulous and meticulous while doing this. The canvas is to be attached to the stretcher frame, ignoring the corners of the frame, using the staple gun and canvas pliers; if the size that you are working with is larger than 3’ * 3’ then using cross braces for supporting the frame is advisable. In the fourth stage, any excess fabric after the canvas is attached to the frame is to be trimmed. The fifth step is again a very important one; it is all about finishing the corners tidily by folding the wings of the canvas fabric neatly on the corners and then stapling them. The sixth and the final step would be priming the surface with gesso and the canvas stretching is done with.
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